Chapter 1

Goodbye

"Harry's coming!" cried Mrs. Weasley from the living room. Ginny looked up from the pile of frozen chicken parts that she was wondering what to do with. It had been three weeks since Dumbledore's funeral and she couldn't stop thinking about him. Harry, that is, but Dumbledore too. No one could stop thinking about Dumbledore. The attacks had ceased since then. Her father muttered decidedly and with his fists clenched that Voldemort and his Death Eaters must be celebrating such a triumph.

But Harry. His name, his face, came swimming through her mind over and over again. For all her brave words, Ginny was afraid. Afraid of dying without doing her part, afraid for Harry and Ron and Hermione, afraid that Harry would never be able to kiss her, come back to her again. But Ginny was not one to be a damsel-in-distress; she was done playing that part. No, she thought she knew what she would do.

Then they all heard a muffled, but comprehensible "Ouch!" issue from the fireplace and then a ruffled black-haired head followed a Quidditch-playing body onto the rug. Not very graceful, thought Ginny, a little laugh escaping her lips. Harry stood up and grinned sheepishly. "Nice landing, Harry," Ginny said.

"Why thank you, Gin."

"Oh, Harry!" cried Mrs. Weasley, tears in her eyes. "How good to see you!" She threw her arms around him and managed to plant a peck on his cheek, though in recent years he had grown to be a foot and more taller than her.

"Good to see you too, Mrs. Weasley. How's everything been?"

"Oh, just fine, just fine. Nice of you to ask, always such a gentleman," smiled the plump little woman, dabbing her eyes with her apron.

"Hello there, Harry," said Mr. Weasley from an armchair, raising a hand and smiling fondly.

"Hi, Mr. Weasley. How are things with you?"

"Oh, well, just trying not to get in the way. Everything has been so hustle-and-bustle lately, what with the wedding and all." Harry nodded. Across the room a daintily sewing Fleur beamed at Bill at the very thought of their upcoming marriage.

"Where's Ron and Hermione?" asked Harry, brushing ashes off his shirt.

"Out in the garden, dear," piped up Mrs. Weasley, now settling herself down once more in a plushy armchair and taking up a large bowl. From the tip of her wand she produced a rag which steadily began to polish the glassware.

"Ginny, do you want to walk with me? Erm…show me where they are?" asked Harry. Ginny tried to keep a straight face. That was the lamest excuse for a talk that she had ever heard. Mrs. Weasley had looked up from her glassware and was glancing anxiously between the two. Everyone in the room knew that something had happened between Harry and Ginny. Ron had been dropping huffy hints about it since the summer began and Ginny had been rather too quiet in allaying these rumors.

"Sure. Mum, is it alright if I leave these…erm…chicken bits?"

"But," cried Fleur, "Ze chicken is very important for ze…." She trailed off as Mrs. Weasley shot her a flaming death-glare. Every male in the room quaked.

"Of course you may go, Ginny dear," said Mrs. Weasley, glaring at Fleur again. "Just get rid of a few gnomes while you're out," she added as Harry crossed the room and followed Ginny out the door.

o.o

The air outside was warm, although it was still early morning. The two walked in silence for some time, thinking. Ginny dispatched three gnomes in a few moments and the others became visibly more cautious, poking their heads around fully-grown mushrooms and diving in and out of holes dug in the ground. Finally, Ginny spoke.

"So, they give you any trouble at the Ministry with the Floo Network?"

"No, they mostly ignored me. Probably been debriefed on "How Not to Speak to H. Potter." He laughed, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Better than thinking you're a lying attention-seeker, though, don't you think?"

"Yeah," he paused, "So how's the summer been?"

"Uneventful. Phlegm's been talking about the wedding non-stop and I've been measured for a hideous gold dress five times over. But other than that…." Harry laughed, genuinely this time. Ginny could always make him laugh.

"Harry," Ginny continued. "Are you sure about this mission? It's definite?"

"Yes."

"Okay," said Ginny, not pressing.

"Why?" said Harry, letting a little suspicion creep into his voice.

"No reason," she paused. "You're going to be careful, right? And take care of Ron?"

"I'm sure Hermione will take care of that," he said, gesturing to a clearing in front of them. There, on a conjured bench, sat Ron and Hermione. The two were holding hands over Ron's lap and Ron was leaning down to kiss Hermione hotly on the lips.

Suddenly Hermione broke away, spotting the pair walking toward them. "Harry! Ginny! Over here!" She waved her hand and gestured them over.

"As if we hadn't already spotted them," muttered Ginny under her breath. Harry nodded and laughed.

As Harry and Ginny neared, Hermione picked up her wand from the bench beside her and waved it. Another stone bench appeared directly opposite from them. "Sit, sit!" she said eagerly, "Oh, wait a sec." She flicked her wrist and two pluffy cushions appeared on the stone. "There we go."

Harry smiled appreciatively. "Miss Ginevra Weasley, you may have first pick of pluffy cushions," he said with a flourishing bow.

"Why, thank you, kind Sir." Ginny's face was a model of seriousness for a moment and then it broke into a grin.

Ron smiled uncertainly. "Is this some kind of weird game you two play?"

"Ron!" said Hermione, shocked.

"What? What did I do?"

Harry and Ginny laughed hysterically. "What kind of misinformed rumors have you been spreading, mate?" asked Harry in mock seriousness. "I could swear your mum was giving me funny looks."

"You should ask him too. He has been telling all kinds of stories," agreed Ginny.

"What? Wait just a second…," interjected Ron, his face a condemning scarlet.

Harry cuffed him playfully over the head and Ron fell into Hermione.

"Oh, I don't think I can survive…oh no!" he cried, his hand to his forehead and tears of laughter streaming down his face.

"Oh, you boys!" said Hermione, but she was laughing too and she pecked Ron on the forehead before pushing him back up with a stern "Geroffme!"

"But really, Harry, how has your summer been?" she queried seriously.

"Delightful," he replied shortly. "Simply brilliant."

"How were the Dursleys and dear, darling Duddykins?" asked Ron.

"Prickley," replied Harry, "Until they found out I was leaving for good. You should have seen the change. 'Would you like a cherry tart before you leave, boy? Would you like any help packing up your things?' It was actually quite good."

Hermione looked concerned. "So they weren't at all worried about you? I mean, about the whole mission and everything? My parents were hysterical, 'specially my mum…when I told them."

Harry sighed. "I'd forgotten you've never actually met my aunt and uncle."

"And you can thank your lucky stars for it too!" said Ron, recalling the "incident". Harry and Ron laughed at the memory.

"Why? What's wrong with them?" Ginny asked.

"Ah, Ginny Gin-Gin," sighed Ron heavily. "So sheltered, so innocent. Actually, scratch the innocent…you…." But he was cut off as Ginny gave him a hard shove and he toppled head-over-heels off the bench and onto the dirt behind.

"Hey!" groaned Ron. "Gosh, she's strong!" he added.

o.o

As much as Ginny wished things back to normal, it never happened. It was all so awkward. It could be fun, laughter might even be involved, but the mission was always at the back of Ginny's mind, like a ache that wouldn't go away. There were moments when she caught Harry staring at her, but he looked away the moment he noticed her looking back. As much as the threesome tried to act like everything was perfectly fine, they were all apprehensive. Ron didn't tell their mum until two days before the wedding. He had been putting it off. Mrs. Weasley's sobs could be heard throughout the house and they broke Ginny's heart in the same way they must have broken Ron's, Hermione's, Harry's.

"No," she kept wailing. "No, no, no!"

"Mum!" Ron's voice was agonized. "This is important. The most important thing I could do with my life! You've got to understand that!"

"No! I don't understand…I just don't…why does it have to be you! Why you? Why Harry? Why Hermione? No!"

"Mum, please…. Stop crying, come on!" he sounded desperate.

Ginny was sitting on the edge of her bed, facing the empty hallway through her open door. Much as she wished she could, she couldn't close the door on the noises issuing up from below. Then, from Fred and George's room across the hall, Harry appeared. His brow was creased in anxious determination, but his eyes were sad.

"I've got to go down there," he said, seeing Ginny. She nodded. She understood and wished she was brave enough to go too.

She listened as Harry's feet hit the downstairs landing and then his voice in the living room where Mrs. Weasley sat, crying her eyes out in the plushy armchair. "Mrs. Weasley…," he said slowly.

"Oh, Harry! Why, why, why?" From the way Harry's next words were muffled, Ginny knew that Mrs. Weasley must have crushed the boy to her.

Ginny bit her lip so hard it bled. Then, before she could convince herself otherwise she stood up and moved down the stairs. She stopped behind the corner of the landing. She could see clearly all that was going on in the living room, but she remained silent. Harry had come away from Mrs. Weasley's arms and was standing beside Ron, his face full of haunting despair.

"Mrs. Weasley…," Harry began again.

Suddenly Ginny heard a movement behind her and turned to see Hermione, gaze on the floor, pass her out of the stairs and into the room. Harry's voice broke a little and Hermione spoke as she walked in.

"Oh, Mrs. Weasley. I'm so sorry," her voice broke into cracked sobs, "I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry." Her voice trailed off as she collapsed into Mrs. Weasley's limp arms. The hands came up to stroke Hermione's hair. Ginny couldn't watch anymore.

She let herself fall onto the stairs, leaned her forehead against the wall, and silently she cried and cried and cried and cried.

o.o

After that they couldn't even pretend. Mrs. Weasley was silent and distant most times, or would suddenly break into uncontrolled sobs until a somber Mr. Weasley led her out of the room. Fred and George found out quickly enough, and after that Fleur and Bill.

Much as she hated to admit it, Ginny couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Phlegm. As annoying as the beautiful bimbo could be, who wants to marry the love of their life in a nightmare home where no one is the least bit happy?

The wedding was fine, but not the spectacular event that Fleur had dreamed of. Her family from France arrived five hours late because the Ministry had upped security on Apparition. Several hours had been added because the Delacour's had been destined for the very home where H. Potter was residing at present. Scrimgouer had smelled a conspiracy that didn't exist. Other than the delay, things had gone smoothly, but no one was anywhere near jolly (Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had made a good stab at pretending) and after it was over Fleur had burst into tears with disappointment.

The next day was even worse because the threesome began packing to leave that night. "It'll be easier to travel by dark. Fewer people who will ask questions," Harry informed Mr. Weasley.

"True, but the dangers…?"

"Good practice," said Ron ominously.

Around midday Mrs. Weasley locked herself inside her bedroom and didn't come out until late, by which time she had composed herself enough to have supper with the three and say goodbye.

"We won't actually be gone until midnight or so," Harry told everyone at the table. Silence followed. The nights before had been Fleur mostly discussing last-minute wedding plans. Now that Bill and Fleur had left for their honeymoon, there had never been louder silence.

o.o

Everyone rose from the table at around 8 o' clock and moved into the living room. Another long, painful silence fell until Mr. Weasley managed to croak out, "I guess this is goodbye then."

Mrs. Weasley stood, her face stark white, her eyes dry and dark. She seemed to come back into the present then, and gave a brave, tiny smile. "All right, you three," she mumbled. "It'll be a year or so, then," she estimated. No one dared counter her, perhaps it would be just a year. "Take care of yourselves and write as much as you can."

"Okay, Mum," said Ron and he hugged her tightly. Fred and George stepped up and handed Ron a bag.

"Filled with stuff from our shop," explained Fred.

"Not all junk, either," added George. "We've put some of our serious anti-dark wizard products in there also."

Hermione, who had just stepped away from Mrs. Weasley's hug, smiled at them. "That's very thoughtful of you," she said and pecked them each on the cheek.

Harry hugged Mrs. Weasley in silence. He shook Fred and George's hands as he walked by. Ginny hugged her brother and Hermione. "I'll miss you, Gin," Hermione murmured and squeezed Ginny's hand. Harry walked over and gave Ginny a quick hug.

"I'll talk to you later," he whispered in her ear. The threesome moved toward the stairwell. Suddenly Harry turned around.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "Thank you, all of you," and he turned and followed Ron and Hermione up the stairs.

o.o

That night Ginny didn't sleep. Minutes ticked away as she waited for Harry to come and say goodbye. At 11:53 he came. It was dark that night, hardly any moon. Ginny's heart skipped a beat when she saw his shape in the doorway.

"Ginny?" he said uncertainly.

"Harry," she said. He moved into the room and sat down on the bed beside her. He kissed her then. A long, hard, desperate kiss. She leaned back toward the bed, her heart hammering, but suddenly he backed away.

"I should go," he said softly. "I have to."

"I'm coming with you," she said suddenly. She stood up abruptly and knelt down, drawing out from beneath her bed a packed suitcase. It had been there since the end of the first week of summer, ever since she had begun to form a tentative plan and had been desperate to do something, anything. "I'm coming," she said again, her hand clasped tightly around the handle of the suitcase.

"No, you're not," said Harry slowly.

Ginny flared. She had known. She had spent all this time thinking about this, but she had known that he would say no. She had known but she had forced herself to put it out of her mind.

"I am! I'm tired of being some damsel-in-distress. This is my war too, my future you're fighting for, as much as your own, more maybe. This is where I have to be!" she said in a hoarse cry.

Harry grabbed her shoulders and looked down into her face, his eyes sad. "No, you can't, Ginny. You can't gamble with your life."

"Then why can you? Why can you and Ron and Hermione gamble and I can't? What makes this any different?"

"Because you just can't, don't you understand?" Harry said, his voice hoarse with frustration.

"No! I'm not a child anymore, Harry."

"Ginny!"

"I have to! I have to do this! I have to."

"Why, Ginny? Its…," Harry's voice was desperate as he moved towards the door.

"Because I love you!" Ginny heard herself cry. They were out of her mouth before she had time to think about them. Harry stopped in the doorway and looked back at Ginny's tearful face, his eyes wide. "I love you, Harry," she continued, more quietly, her voice broken.

There was a short silence as they looked at eachother. Finally Harry spoke.

"I love you too, Ginny, and that's why you have to stay." And he walked away, the sound of his footsteps heavy on the stairs.

o.o

Okay, so what do you all think? Give me honest feedback, it will help me. If you like it the next chapter will be up in a jiffy…so stay tuned!